Therapy
by tinx-r
Summary: After a chopper crash, Nick is required to undertake counseling sessions. This story may be read as gen-smarm or slash .


The smell of lavender was thick in the small room, and Nick coughed softly. "Can I open the window?"

"Certainly." She peered at him over her glasses, lowering the clipboard to her desk, and Nick felt her eyes on his back as he struggled with the old fashioned window-catch.

The air that came in was cold and ugly, tasting of the city's grime and Nick turned back, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"Are you ready to talk?" she asked, sitting back in her chair, and Nick felt a shiver run through him, a shiver that had nothing to do with the chill breeze from the window.

"I don't need to talk to you," he said, the same thing he'd repeated on each of the other occasions she'd tried to talk to him. "I understand you got to do this. But lady, I got nothing to say beyond what I put in my report. The engine lost power for no reason I could figure out, I got the thing nearly down and then there was a blast in the rear." Nick closed his eyes, fighting to keep his breathing deep, the horror of those moments, of hearing the explosion, hearing Cody's scream, almost more than he could bear.

"Mr Ryder?"

"I'm fine, I'm telling you." Nick opened his eyes again, looking with irritation at the woman regarding him with speculative, astute eyes. "Everything's in the report. Now can I go? I got to get back to my partner."

"Mr Ryder, my findings are going to affect the FAA findings and possibly your license. The more assistance you give me - "

"Listen, lady." Nick leaned forward, keeping his temper with difficulty, lips pressed in a thin line. "I got that chopper down and no-one died, and where I learned to fly, that's ace. You got it? And you want me to talk about what happened, I got a lot of things to say to the guy who signed it off as airworthy, but I haven't got one damned thing to say to you. You do what you need to do, you recommend any damn thing you like, but you do it without me."

She sighed and nodded slowly. "I can't make you participate in the counseling, Mr Ryder," she said calmly. "I wish you would understand it's intended for your own good. To help you work through your feelings."

Nick stared at her uncomprehendingly. The counselor was young, and by her eyes, she'd never even dreamed of war. "I don't need your help," he said, the anger draining out of him even as he spoke. "Thank you, but I got it. Now can I go? Cody needs me."

She pursed her lips but made a gesture of assent, and Nick swung out the door, walking quickly down the corridor. He imagined the smell of lavender followed.

Cody's room was 2 floors down in another wing, but Nick made it fast, breaking into a jog as soon as he got out of the elevator. Cody had been sleeping when he left, but Nick didn't like to leave him alone too long.

"Hey, pal." Nick entered, pleased to see Cody flicking through a magazine, fingers awkward around the bandages that covered his palms. "How you doing?"

"Hey, buddy." Cody grinned and dropped the book, eyes brightening, and he held out a hand to his partner. "Where'd you go?"

Nick took it, avoiding the burns, mentally cursing the substandard chopper that had caused all this. "Another session with that counselor." Nick shrugged. "They've got to let up eventually."

Cody nodded, shifting in the bed, and Nick perched beside him, rubbing his shoulder gently. Cody wasn't badly hurt, but the burns on his hands and the slash in his thigh had been serious enough for the doctors to keep him in hospital for the best part of a week, so far. "Doc said this morning he might let you out tomorrow."

Cody grinned, his eyes lighting up. "Really? That's great." He pressed closer to Nick.

"I was thinking maybe we should take a holiday," Nick murmured, sliding his arm around Cody's shoulders. The last case had taken a lot out of them both, and the chopper crash, right at the end, was the last straw. Nick found himself thinking longingly of peace, of the two of them and the Riptide, in a quiet, silent cove where no-one came.

He looked into Cody's eyes and saw his partner's wistful smile. "I'd like that, Nick," Cody agreed softly, and Nick smiled.

Cody sighed softly and rested his head on Nick's shoulder, and Nick leaned back, gently rubbing his partner's shoulders. He felt Cody's breathing steady and relax and felt his own tension unwind.

The crash was behind them, and Cody was okay. One more time they'd made it. Nick closed his own eyes and, holding his partner gently, let the fear slip away. 


End file.
